An Introduction to 2014: Barolo Margheria from Azelia and Massolino and Rocche dell'Annunziata from Renato Corino at La Festa del Barolo

Growing Nebbiolo grapes for the production of Barolo wines was a challenge in 2014; but the show must go on. And go on it did, according to the producers who spoke at the Saturday Seminar of Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo.

At the seminar we had the chance to hear from, and taste the wines of, 14 Barolo producers arranged into flights of between two and four producer/wine combinations.

The initial flight was titled An Introduction to 2014 ... and featured Lorenzo Scavino (Piemonte's response to Hollywood) presenting Azelia's Barolo Margheria, Franco Massolino presenting a similarly designated wine from his namesake estate, and Stefano Corino presenting the Barolo Rocche dell' Annunziato from Renato Corino.

Lorenzo Scavino, Franco Massolino, and Stefano Corino

I was mystified by the composition of this flight. The Azelia and Massolino wines had been paired in a flight at last year's Seminar as we probed the character of the cru. Combining them this year with the Renato Corino wine -- a wine from one of my top 18 Barolo Vineyards -- begs the question as to intent.

I have covered the fundamentals of the Azelia and Massolino estates, and the Margheria and Rocche dell'Annunziata crus, in prior posts. I will provide a brief summary of the Renato Corino operations herein to fill out the picture.

Renato Corino
Renato Corino split from his brother in 2005 and founded the estate currently bearing his name. The estate owns vineyards in the La Morra crus of Rocche dell'Annunziata, Arborino, and Pozzo, employing integrated/sustainable farming practices therein. The estate eschews the use of chemicals, using copper, sulfur, and manure instead. Grass is maintained between vineyard rows and is then tilled into the soil in the winter.Vines are trained using the Guyot system. Yield is managed through fruit drops at the end of July and pre-harvest.

Grapes for the Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata wine is sourced from a 0.6 ha, southwest-facing plot that sits between 300 and 320 meters on clayey sand soil. The vineyard was planted in 1962.

The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to wood for malolactic fermentation and 24 months aging.

The Wines

Azelia
According to Lorenzo, this wine was fermented traditionally with submerged cap and was aged for three years in the bottle after the 24 months in wood.

The wine was perfumed on the nose, with a profusion of violets accompanying notes of tar, roses, and spice. Linear and focused with beautiful fruit. Mineral and saline with good acidity. Drying on the palate as tannins make their presence felt.

Massolino
Perfumed. Violets, tar, and red fruit. Broader-based than the Azelia; fuller and rounder. Beautiful fruit. More textured than the Azelia.

Renato Corino
Lean and elegant with fine-boned tar. Violets, walnuts and truffle. Structured and complex. Great acidity, aggressive tannins, and a bitter, creamy finish. A beautiful wine.

Right about this time we got the first of many fire safety announcements from the PA system. It was a pain.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme